A Warning From S. Africa.

Manawatu Herald, 12 March 1904, Page 3

A Warning From S. Africa.

A note of caution is sounded by Mr J. Purcell, of Leith Cottage, Kutger street, Capetown, who writes to the editor of the “ New Zealand Times ” as follows : - I hope you will allow me space ih your paper to warn-all working men in New Zea--land against rushing out to South Africa at the present time. We have thousands of men here out of em-ployment-men of every class and trade, skilled and unskilled. Ihe Government in Capetown have taken on some hundreds of men at the relief works at 4s 6d per day ; but that is only a drop in the bucket, and there are hundreds of clerks, salesmen, etc., who are unable to do the work. The inland towns, Johannesburg, Pretoria and others, are worse than the seaports. I hare had a life’s experience, but have never known the South African labour market to be in the state it is at present. Tinder the most favourable, labour conditions, it will take more than a year for things to right themselves. In the meantime, it is courting misery and starvation for working men to come here. I may mention that there are numbers of good men sleeping out on the mountain sides and living on charity, who in New Zealand would probably be able to earn a good living.